Clothesline fastener



Nov. 22, 1927. 1,650,364

w. J. KNITTER CLOTHES LINE FASTENER Filed March 6, 1924 Vigna Patented Nov. 22, 1927.V

UNITED STATES WILLIAM J. Kivrrrna, or nomia TONAWANDA, NEW YORK.

CLOTHESLINE FAsTENnR.

Application filed March Y 6,

rlhis invention relates to improvements in clothes line fasteners. l f

The principal object is to provide a clothes line fastener by which the line can be tightened so that it will not require clothes polesy or other intermediate supports'to prevent it from sagging.

Further cbject'sare to provide a device which may be readily manipulated for the purpose of tightening or slackening the clothes line, which may be readily changed from one place of support to another, and which may be economically produced.

An embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, where- Figure lvis a side elevation showing a construction which, as now considered, isy preferred.

Figure 2 is a front elevation of the same. Figure 3 is a sectional View on the line 3- 3 of Figure 1.

Figures 4 and 5 are sectional views on the respective lines 4 4 and 5-5 of Figure 2.

The device includes a supporting bracket 1 having parallel upper and lower horizontal arms 2and 3 and provided beyond the arms with attachment extensions 4 and 5, the extension 4 having an L-shaped recess 6 which opens at one side of said extension and the extension -5 having a vertical recess 7, open to its lower edge. The bracket 1 may be supported by any suitable stationary part, the means of support comprising upper and lower bolts 8 and 9, the upper bolt engaging in the recess 6 andthe lower bolt'engaging in the recess 7. In securing the bracket to its support the horizontal part ot the recess 6 is aligned with the bolt 8 and the bracket is shifted laterally until its further movement is arrested by the engagement of the bolt 8 against the vertical side of said recess; at

such time the bolt 8 will be in alignment j with the vertical part of the recess l6 and the bolt 9 will be in alignment with the recess 7; the bracket is then lowered to complete the engagement of said bolts in the recesses 6 and 7. To remove the bracket from the support the bracketis first raised, thereby to disengage the kbolt 9 from the recess 7 and then shifted laterally, thereby to disengage the bolt 8 from the recess 6. Bracket supports may be arranged at any desired places, both inside and outside the dwelling, and the bracket may, by proceeding as above indisuitable manner.

1924. vSerial No. 697,227.'

cated, be readily changed from one location to kanother accordingly as it may bel desirable to change the placewhere the clothes are to be hung for drying. y 'i The line to be held is connected at one end to a vertical drum 10 which is arranged be-l tween the varms 2 and 3 and is provided with a pair of laterally projecting posts 11 to which the end ot' the line L is secured in any In the constructionshown the drum 10 is fitted upon a centrally'located rod 12 which projects at both ends beyond said drum and has a bearing at ljin the upper arm 2. The' drum 10 is rotated by means of a driver 14flocated below the arm 8 and having ahub portion for which the arm 3 provides a bearing, the driver 14 having coupling pins 15 projecting upward from` its hub portion for driving it engagement in recesses in the under face of the drum. The driver '14 is provided with an opening through which the rod 12 projects and is engaged from below by a nut 16 mounted upon a threaded axial extension 17 of said rod. The driver 14 is provided with a suitable number of radially arranged open- (ill ings 18`in any one of which the rod 19, which serves as an operating handle, may be rem-ovably inserted. y

The drum 10 is held against retrograde movement by the co-operat-ion of la pawl 20 with ratchet teeth 21. In the vconstruction shown the ratchet teeth 21 are formed in annular series in the underv face of the arm 2 and the pawl 20 is in the form of a rod slidably mounted in a longitudinal opening inthe drum 10. The pawl 2O isheld en` gaged with the ratchetteeth 21 by a spring 22 which at its lower end bears against the hub of the driver 14 and vat its upper end bears against ya collar 23 provided on the lower end of said pawl. The spring 22 servesas a support for the rod 12 and for this purpose said rod is provided with ay Y los llt)

the drum 10i, the line being tightened as much as possible by. hand.

then turned to feed the rod 12. upward and provide for the engagement. ofthe pawl 2O witlithel ratchet teeth 21. The clothes are then placedonthe line in the usual manner and therlineis further tightened to suoli extentas-may be necessary by turning thedrun'i 10 by means of' the handle 19 fitted to the.

driver` 14C. Such further tightening ot' the line by the drum 10 will eliminate any saggingunderthe weight of the clothes. lVhen it isy desired to take the line down the nut 16 isturned to:move the rod 12 downward andl thereby disengage the pawlv20 from the ratchet. teeth 21. rlhe drum 1') will thereupon be turned under. the tension ot the line to a4 position4 in which ready access may be had to the end of the'line secured to the posts 1l and the'line may thereupon be disconnected from theidrum.

'Ehe diameter o't'the drinn lOeXceeds the width ofv the arms 2 and 3 and the diameter ofy the driver 14 trom which. it follows that there are no. obstructions beyond the tace ot the drum. to interfereA with extending the line in any direction or at any angle which the: environments ot'use. may require. ln the construction shown the Vpawl 20 andspring22 are enclosed. within the drum 10, thereby being` protected'y against the elements. pawl and spring. may also. be lubricated with suitable light oil without: anyk risk ot' soiling the clothes line.

In assemblingthey device the drum is littedy between the. arms 2 and 3, the lower post 1l atV such time being left olif. rllhev pafwll 20,1 spring 22, rod 12, driver la' and nut 16 are then lit-ted in position in the oi'der named. By means of a. suitable rod inserted' through an opening. 27 in the arm 2 the pawl 20n is held depressed to. permit the iusertion of the pin 25 in the rod.12, said'pin beingiiiserted through the' opening provided for theflower. post, 11.v The paw-l 20 istfhen The nut 16 isv Said said arms, a rod movably mounted central.-V

l of the drum and awl and ratchet/means to hold the drum: againstretrograde move-` ment, said rod having means to control the operationo. said pawl and- Vratchet means according to the position of said rod.

2. A clot-hes line fastener and tightener comprising a. supporting; bracket provided with parallel arms, a. drum mounted between said arms, a rod. movably mounted centrally of the drum, enclosed pawl and ratchet means having an element movable with the drum and a. co-operating element combined with one of the arms, and means carried by said rod torrcontrolling the operf ation ot said pawl and` ratchet means accordii'ig to the posit-ion ot saidlrod. Y

3. A clothes line fastener and tightener comprising ay supporting bracket? provided with` parallel arms, ai drunimount'ed betwe'ei'i said arms, a rod mounted centrally of the drum for axial movement, af spring pressed pawl fitted within the drum, a connection:

between said rod and saidpawl'w-hereby the position. or' the pawl is controlled by the rodi`r means for adjusting the position ottherod,V

and ratchet teeth formed ony one of the arms for co-operation with the panwl.

il. A. clothes line fastener and tightener" comprising a supporting bracket provided.

withiparallel arms,l a drum mounted between Said` arms, a, rodl mounted centrally of. the drum for axial movement, aspriiigrpressed* pawl' tittedlwthin the-drum, ai connection be'- tween said rodand said pa'wl whereby the position of the pawll is controlled by theino Y rod, a driver'connected to thefdruinand pio meting/beyond one of the arms,` the driver i having ani opening through which therod extends and the rod having a: threaded eX.-

tension beyond'the driver, and anut mounted upon said extension and engagingthe driver, the nut servings-for the adjuW nient of the'rod. In testimony whereof I aitix my signature.

WILLIAM J. 'icuirrria 

